Extractor-cleaner machine



NW. 23, 1937. M.TCHELL 2,100,198

EXTRACTOR CLEANER MACHINE Filed Jan. 8, 1936 /NVENTOE# Jo1-IN E. M7'CHELL,

Patented Nov. 23, 1937 UNETED STATES z,we,ws

PATENT FFICE Claims.

5 eral object of the invention s to increase the eflciency of the machine by providing quckly accessible and removable working parts.

With this general object in view, my invention resides chiefly in constructing the casing of the machine in three sections, namely, a, central casng section and. front and rear casng sections, the Ia,tter being easily deta.chable ai, W1'11 from the central casing to permit ready access to the main Working parts of the machine for repar or replacement thereof.

Accordng to my invention the extracting and cleaning cylinders are also removably mounted in the central section to permit of quick removal 'of the cylinders from this section when the front and rear casing sections are detached.

Ii: should be explained that while t is a simple matter to provide openings in the end frame porton of the casing of extractor-cleaner machines through which small rollers can be removed from the housng, this is not practicable in machnes empioying the larger diameter extracting and. cleaning cylnders. In prior machnes of ths character therefore, the casing has been built around. the large dameter cylinders, and to remve the cylinders for repair or replacement, it has been necessary to take ape,rt or practically dismantle the machines, which results in very expensive delays in the operation of the gin plant equipped with such machines.

The demand in recent years for more eiective cleaning and better preparation of the cotton for the extracting cylinders, has made t necessary to use a preparatorycieaning cylinder of much larger diameter than those previously employed. in order to provide the screen surface needed Withn the space, in height, ordinarily available for the mounting of extractor-cleaner machines on the gin stands.

Attempts have been made to use a, plurality of comparatively small diameter preparatory cieaning cyiinders, such as disclosed in my prior Patent No. 1,906,076 of April 25, 1933; but it requires a large number of such cylinders to provide as much screen surface as can be provided within the same space, in height, by a. single larga diameter cylinder, and. aside from the fact that the use of a largo number of small cylinders is more expensive and. less effective than a, single larga cylinder, the small cylinders have a. noticeable tendency to rope, twist, and otherwise machine the cotton as a result of its being thrown from one cylnder to another.

In actual use of extractor-cleaner machnes, foreign substances, such as sacks, coats, rocks, sticks, and sometimes parts of other machinery often pa.ss into the machines With the cotton and choke the machines down, frequentiy seriously damaging a cylinder; and unless the operator has quick access to the working chambers around. the cylnder, or is abie to quickly remove the cyiinders for repair or replacement, it becomes necessary to shut the plant down long enough to practicaily take the machine apart ami reassemble it. Such 1ong delays are not only expensive to all concerned, bui: often result in loss of customers waiting to have their cotton ginned.

Aside from the expensive delays thus experienced by the users of extractor-cleaner machines of the type havng the housing built around the extractor and cleaner cylnders, ii; is obvous that machines of such design and construction are more expensive to build or to assemble.

In machines constructed accordng to my invention, the middle section, which is supported on the gin stand, carres all of the cleaning and. extracting cyiinders, while light front and rear casing sections are made quckly detachable from the middle section, and when detached the cleaning and. extracting cylinders are not only exposed for inspection but the cylinders can be quickly removed from the midd.le section without disturbing or removing any of the parts comprisng the main housing structure.

Finally, it is to be noted that the design and construction of my mproved machines makes t possibie, as to the rear removable casing section, to permanently mount therein a portion, approximately one-half, of the screen partly surrounding the cleaning cylinder, which portion of the screen is of course removed With the rear casing section. In 1ike manner, as to the front removable casing section, the doffing cylinder for the extracting cylinder is mounted. in the casing section and. removable with the same. Thus, when these casing sectons are removed from the central section, the simultaneous removal of onehalf of the screen ai: the rear, and of the dofiing cylinder at the front, respectively, removes from the machine obstructing parts which wou1d otherwise have to be removed. from the machine in a separate operation to permit access to, or removal of, the clea,ning cylinder on the one hand, or the extracting cylinder on the other.

In addition to the leadng characteristcs of the invention above set forth, my nvention embodies the further feature of so designing and constructing the parts With reference to the feeding rollers Which supply the cotton to tne ma chine, hat such cotton s delivered to tnafi'; portion of the cleaning cylinder operatng Wthn the upper portion of the mddle sectien.

The nvention is illustrated in the aecompanyng drawing in which Fig. 1 is a, longtudinal sectonal vew through a machine constructed accordng to my nvention.

Fig. 2 s a view in end elevation of the rear porton of the machine, showing the manner of detachably mounti.ng the rear casing secton on the central section, end showing also one of the sde bearngs for the shaft of the cleaning cy1nder; end

Fig. 3 is a plan view 01 the end porti0n of the machine shown in Fig. 2, as indicated by the secton line 3 end arrows in Fig. 2.

Referring now to the drawing, the numeral ndicates the central seczion of the casng, the numeral 5 the rear removable casing section and the numeral 6 the front removable casing section. Mounted in bearings 1 (Fig. 2) secured at ether side of the central casng section, ami near the 1ear edge pertion therecf is the shaft 8 of the preparatory cleaning cylinder 9. Ths cylinder is relatively large in diameter beng, in fact, two or three tmes as large as, and several tmes more effective than, the cleaning cylinder commonly used in extractor-cleanng machines. This eleanng cylinder is entrely surrounded on its lower side by a. screen l0, whch s madein tvvo parts, one part, indcated by the nume1al H, consttuting about one-half of the screen, beng permanently mounted in the removable casing secton 5 and the remaning porton being permanently mounted in the central ca.sng 4. The main casing 4 s provided with an upward extenson 12, constituting a spout for recevng che cotton to be cleaned, and in this extenson are housed feed rollers [3. Below these 'feec'l rollers s mounted a directing roller Id, the arrangement end. locaton of these members beng such that the cotton forced down betvveen the feed rellers !3 is delvered by the drecting reller M onto thai; portion of the cleaning cylinder operatng within the upper portion of the middle sectien 4 of the casng.

In Figs. 2 and 3 I have illustrated a convenient arrangement fer detachably mountng the real casing secton 5 on the middle section 4. In this arrangement, I bolt to the rear edge of each sde wal1 of the middle section a. bracket, I5, havng an eurwaro and upwardly curved extension, H. Secured in the upper portion of the outer wall of the rear casng section 5 is a rod, I'l, which projects beyond the sdes 0:" the casng sections anni ai its ends rests in the curved extensons 3 It will be understood that the rearportion of the middle secton A, covered by the casng secton 5, is open, as ndicated by the arrow H8, and the lewer edge of this opening is provided. with a short, downwardly extending flange, l9, which s adapted to receive a corresponding flange, 2G, f0rmed on the lewer edge of the ca.sng section 5. The flange Ii! thus serves as a seat for the flange 29 of the casng section 5 when the latter s in the clesed positinn shown. T0 permit access to the cleaning cylnder, the real casng sectien 5 may be swung outward on che rod H, which acts as a. hnge or pivot for the casing section, 01 che latter may be entirely removed from the mddle section by smply lifting t sufiicently to free the rod H from engagement with the curved extenson H5. Wth the casng section 5 lfted, 01 removed, the opening !3 gves ready accese te the clea.nng cylncer 9, as the rear portion l 9 of the screen s carried by the said casng secton, and consequently moved from ts encircling positon around the cleanng cylinder when the casng secton 5 is swung outward, or removed from the mddle casing 4.

As previously referred no, 11; is often desrabe not only to nspect the cleanng ey1nder, or the working space surroundng the same, to remove any obstructng materal from the cleaning cylinder, but in the case of njury to sad cylinder it s very importanb that the latter should be capable of ready removal from the machne either 101 repar or to permit of its replacement by another cylinder. Wth ths object in view, the bearings for the shaft 8 of the cleanng eylinder are secured by screws !S on the outer fece -f each sde wall of the casing, these screws passing through apertures in a crcular flange 23 provided on each bearng and engaging in screw threaded portions of the sde wall of the mechine. The edge portion of each sde W2.11 of the machine is lkewise provided with an open end slot 29, finto Whch the ends of shaft 8 are nsert'ed after Which the bearings are placed on the encs of the shaft end secured in position by the screws !S as descrbed.

Te remove the cleaning cylnder 9 from the machine, the 1ear casing secton 5 15 first removed, the screws 19 are unscrewed and the bearngs E pu1led efi of the ends e-f shaft 8, when said shat and. its cylinder may be readly wthdra.wn by pulling the ends of the shaft out of the slots 25.

The front casing secton 6 s detachably mounted on he front wall of the mdcle seeten ai of the casng in the same manner as described With reerence to the casng secton 5, end t s deemed unnecessary to repeat ths descrption. In p1ace 0:" the screen member mounted in casng section 5, the front casing section has mounted. there:a a doffing cylnde: 22, the shat 23 of whch s ef ceurse, mounted in bearngs (nob shewn) se cured. on the apposite sde wa.lls of the casng sectien. Wth the casing secton 6 in position, as shown at the rgh, of Figure 1, the doffing cylinder 22 s in poston to dofi cotton from the extracting cylnder 24, and to dscharge the same through the epen betom 25 of the casing section into the gin on whch the extractorcleaner ma,ehine s ada.pted to be mounted.

The shaft 25 of the extracting cylinder is mounted in bearngs on the side walls 01" the ma.- chne exa,ctly in the same manner a.s described with reference to the sheft 8 of the cleaning cylnder, and may be wthdrawn from the ma.- chne through s1ots 26 after bearngs have been removed frem the shaft. The remanng parts of the machne lustrated. comprising the kieker ro11,2'5, recaimng cylncer, 23, cooperating With the brushes, 29, the trash roller, 5523, and the c0n Veyote, 32, for discharging trash f1om the machne are all features ef prior art patents, mcstly ssued to me, and the constructien end operation of whch are fvlly understood by hose skilled in the art of treatng cotton.

As when the rear casing section 5 is deta.ched from the machne the rear portion I I of the surrounding screen 1s removed Wth the casing secten to fully expose the cleaning cylinder, so When the casng section 6 is detached from the mddle section the doffing cylinder 22 is removed with it, so that free and unobstructed access s afforded to the extraotng cylnder 24. And either cylinder may be readily removed Wthout disturbng or removing any other parts of the machine.

Tne feecng rollers |3 delver the mixed. cotton a.nd hulls to the upp.er porton of the preparatory cleanng cylincer 9 rotatng Withn the central casng secton 6, and after the stream s forced out and down around the screen member carried by the rear detaohable ca.sng 5, it is then forced upwa,rd over that porton of the screen mounted. in the mdde casing 4 and delivered by the roller M to the extractng sa.w cylnd.er 24 whch, a,s stated, s also mounted in and partially enclosed by the central casng section 4.

While I have descrbed and illustrated the use of a single extraoting oylinder, I wish it understood thai; two or more such cylnders could be employed, whioh wou1d simply necessitate a change in the design and proportons of the ma.- chine shown, without in any manner departng from the prncple of the invention as herein claimed.

It Will be seen that the chief funotion of the front casng s.ection 6 s to house the dofing cylincler, to reoeve the cotton removed by the dofier fromthe extractng saw oylinder and. to discharge it into the gin breast; and that the ohief funoton of the rear casng section s to support the rear portion of the screen extendng around the oleaning cylinder and. to provide an enoosed space for receiving a.nd colleoting the trasn foroeo through the rear portion of the screen by the oleanng cylinder. T he chief purpose of the central section s to support and partially enclose the cleaning and extractng cylinders and the members cooperating therewith.

1. An extractor-cleaner machine comprsing a central vertical casing section having a. preparatory cleanng cylnder and an extractor cylnder mounted therein at ts opposte sides and projeotng at one sid.e through openngs provided in the front and rear wal1s of said casing section, front and rear detachable casing sections inolosng tha.t porton of the cylinders projecting beyond the front and rear walls of the central casing secton, a screen surroundng the 1ower porton of sad cleanng cylinder and made in two parts, one part being mounted in the central, and the other in the rear, casing section, and a. coffing cylinder for sad extractor cylinder mounted in sad front casing section, whereby when ether of said front or rear casng sections s removed, the cylnder inclosed thereby will be rendered readly accessible.

2. An extractor-cleaner machne comprisng a. central vertoa.l casng section having a preparatcry oeanng cylnder and an extra,ctor cylinder 1nonnted. theren at ts opposite sdes and respectvely aocessble s.nd removable through openings provoled. in the front and. rear wa1ls of said oasng section beyond which said cylinders projeot, a screen partially surrounding said cleaner oylnder anzi made in two parts, a rear casng secton detaohably mounted on sad central casng seoton and inclosing the projecting portion of said oleaning oylinder and. having one part of said screen mounted therein, and a front casing seotion detachably mounted on sad oentral casing section and inclosing the proj.ecting portion of said extractor cylnder and having a. doffing cylnder for said extractor cylinder mounted. therein, whereby when said front and rear casing seotons are removed, the removal therewth of a. part of sad screen and of said dofing cylinder, respectively, Wl1 permit unobstructed access to, and removal of, said cylinders thr0ugh ther respeotve openngs.

3. A11 extractor-cleaner machine comprsing a central vertcal casing section havng e. preparatory cleaning cylnder and an extractor cylinder mounted therein at its opposte sdes and respec tvely accessble and removable through openings in the front and rear Walls of said casing secton, the edge portions of said walls a.t ether .end of the machine being provided With open end slots for removably receving the shafts of sad cylnders, bearngs for sad shafts deta,chably secured to the outer sdes of sa,d walls, front and rear detachable casing sectons normally closng said openngs, a, screen surrounding the Iower portion of sad cleaning cylnder and. made in two parts, one part being mounted in the central, and the other in the rear, casing seotion, ami e. dofing cylinder for said extractor cylinder mounted in said front casing section, whereby When either of sad front or rear casing sections 1's removed, and the bearngs detached from the shaft of the cylinder, the latter may be readily removed from the casing seotion through the unooverecl opening by wthdrawing the shaft from the slots in the central casing section.

4. An extractor-cleaner machine comprisng a central vertica] casing section havng a preparatory cleanng cylnder and an extractor cylinder mounted therein at ts opposite sdes anzi projecting through openings in the front and rear walls of said casing section, front and rear detachable casing sections normally closng sad openngs and inolosing the projectng portions of said oylinders, a doffing cylinder for said extractor cy1- nder mounted in and oarred by the front oasng section, the latter beng construoted to receve the cotton removed by the dofler from the extractor oylnder and to dscharge same from the machne.

5. An extractor-cleaner maohine comprising a. central, vertical casng section ha.vng a prepara.- tory cleanng cylncler and an extractor cylinder mounted therein at ts opposite sides and projeoting through openngs in the front and rear walls of said casing section, front and. rear detachable casing sections normally closng sad openngs and nclosing the projectng portons of said cylnders, a dofing cylinder for said extractor oylinder mounted in and carred by the front casing section, the Iatter being constructed. to receve the cotton removed by the dofer from the extraotor cylinder and to disoharge saune from the maohne, and feed rollers mounted in the central casing section and. positioned to delver cotton to that porton of the ceaning cylinder operating wthin the central casng section.

JOHN E. MITCHELL. 

